Make a Year-Round Commitment to May’s Emphasis on Women’s Health
By Darra McMullen, Women’s Health Network Writer/Researcher Because the month of May features the Women’s Health Week national observance, this month would seem to be the perfect opportunity to contemplate women’s health issues that we should be cognizant of all year. To begin, let’s think for a moment about the frequently heard admonishment of “Know your numbers.” The idea behind the statement is a sound one, but what exactly does it mean? Generally, the cautionary quip refers to being aware of your readings for blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, and blood sugar, and additionally, the statement encourages us to go have those items measured at a doctor’s office if we have not done so recently.Certainly, evaluating these critical aspects of health is very important to do and taking any needed corrective action for health improvement on these measures is advisable, but our need to “know our numbers” doesn’t end there. A variety of other crucial health issues can’t be...